The present invention relates to a work transporting robot and semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a work transporting robot which is preferably incorporated in a semiconductor device manufacturing system and which transports a semiconductor wafer to a desired process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device and puts the semiconductor wafer into and out from the process chamber. The present invention also relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus in which the work transporting robot is incorporated.
From past, a work transporting robot is proposed (refer to Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. Hei 7-73833, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Gazette No. Hei 7-504128) which robot is incorporated in a system for manufacturing semiconductor device and which robot transports a semiconductor wafer to a desired process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device and puts the semiconductor wafer into and out from the process chamber.
The work transporting robot recited in Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. Hei 7-73833 disposes a pair of joint linkages in positions which are shifted 180 degrees from one another, and includes a first driving source for driving each joint linkage and a second driving source for driving both joint linkages in directions which are the same direction to one another. Therefore, each joint linkage is independently telescopically moved and both joint linkages are rotationally moved in directions which are the same direction to one another so that a semiconductor wafer can be transported to a desired process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device and the semiconductor wafer can be put into and out from the process chamber.
The work transporting robot recited in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Gazette No. Hei 7-504128 disposes a pair of joint linkages in positions which are shifted 180 degrees from one another, and includes a first driving source for driving each joint linkage and a second driving source for driving both joint linkages in directions which are the same direction to one another. Therefore, each joint linkage is independently telescopically moved and both joint linkages are rotationally moved in directions which are the same direction to one another so that a semiconductor wafer can be transported to a desired process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device and the semiconductor wafer can be put into and out from the process chamber.
In both work transporting robot, both joint linkages are disposed in positions which are shifted 180 degrees from one another. Therefore, when semiconductor wafers are reshuffled with respect to any one of process chambers for manufacturing semiconductor device, one joint linkage is telescopically moved so that a first semiconductor wafer is put out from the process chamber, thereafter both joint linkages are rotationally moved by 180 degrees, then the other joint linkage is telescopically moved so that a second semiconductor wafer is put into the process chamber. Consequently, a time for rotationally moving both joint linkages by 180 degrees becomes a waste time so that a processing speed in the entirety of a semiconductor device manufacturing system cannot be improved too much.
In a semiconductor device manufacturing system, four to five process chambers for manufacturing semiconductor device are generally disposed. About eight number of times of processings for putting a semiconductor wafer into and out from a process chamber are required for one semiconductor wafer in average. Processing time for one semiconductor wafer is about 1-3 minutes. Each semiconductor wafer is applied processings within 2-4 process chambers for manufacturing semiconductor device. Therefore, the time for rotational movement is a fairly waste time with respect to an entire processing time.
Further, when corresponding joint linkage is telescopically moved prior to and after the rotational movement by 180 degrees of both joint linkage, an isolation valve should be opened which isolates corresponding process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device from a space in which a work transporting robot is disposed. Therefore, a total time during when an isolation valve is not closed becomes longer so that a degree of cleanness of a space in which a work transporting robot is disposed may be lowered and a desired degree of cleanness may not be obtained. The degree of cleanness affects a process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device. Therefore, the degree of cleanness cannot be ignored when semiconductor device is to be manufactured.
FIGS. 11(A) through 11(J) are diagrams schematically illustrating a sequence of putting a semiconductor wafer into and out from a process chamber by a conventional work transporting robot, while FIG. 12 is a flowchart.
As is apparent from these figures and the flowchart, it is waited until processing for a semiconductor wafer A has finished. Then, an isolation valve of a process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device is opened and the semiconductor wafer A is put out from the process chamber, thereafter the isolation gate valve is closed. Then, both joint linkages are rotationally moved. The isolation gate valve of the process chamber for manufacturing semiconductor device is opened and a semiconductor B is put into the process chamber, thereafter the isolation gate valve is closed.
Therefore, it is understood a reason why the above-mentioned disadvantages arise.
Description was made for a case in which a work transporting robot is applied to a semiconductor device manufacturing system. Similar disadvantages arise when a work transporting robot is applied a system which requires putting work into and out from a chamber and which system is other than a semiconductor device manufacturing system.